Table of Contents
Upcoming Events
American Red Cross Pint-Size Hero Blood Drive
November 8
Did you know that one donation of blood can save up to three lives? Or that every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood?
Tidewater Council is partnering with the American Red Cross to host a blood drive through the Pint-Size Hero program. This program introduces youth to the components of blood and the importance of blood donation. Scouts have the opportunity to demonstrate leadership by recruiting blood donors, hosting drives, and engaging in the community. Each Scout who recruits a donor will receive an American Red Cross braided bracelet.
WHEN: Monday, November 8
WHERE: Tidewater Council Mary Jayne Breeden Council Service Center, 1032 Heatherwood Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23455
TIME: 1-6 PM
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT: There are 2 easy ways to schedule your appointment:
1. Visit redcrossblood.org and use the sponsor code “TidewaterBSA” in the “Find a Blood Drive” field.
2. Make your appointment on the American Red Cross Blood Donor App.
CONTACT: Nicole Moga, 704-564-5565, Nmoga149@yahoo.com
Tidewater Veterans Day Parade and Ceremony
November 11
All Tidewater Council packs, troops, ships, posts, and crews are invited to participate in the 2021 Tidewater Veterans Day Parade and Ceremony.
This year, the Veterans Day Parade at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront will begin at 16th and Atlantic Avenue and proceed to the Tidewater Veterans Memorial on 19th Street across from the Virginia Beach Convention Center. Check in and line up begin at 8:00 AM with exact location to be determined; the parade starts at 9:00 AM. Scouts will get to see the entire parade and then step off as one of the last units in the lineup. All units are requested to bring their American and unit flags. Scouts and leaders should be in uniform. Scouts are invited to remain for the 11:00 AM Memorial Service.
Register your unit to march in the parade and pre-order your patches no later than November 8, 2021. Registration is required and a patch is available by pre-order only. Register now on Black Pug. Patches will be available for pick‐up by December 17.
Adult First Aid, CPR & AED Training
November 13
The Adult First Aid/CPR/AED course incorporates the latest science and teaches students to recognize and care for a variety of first aid emergencies such as burns, cuts, scrapes, sudden illnesses, and how to respond to breathing and cardiac emergencies for victims about 12 years and older. Successful students will receive a certificate for Adult First Aid / CPR / AED valid for two years. This is a blended learning course; you must complete the online portion before taking one of the skills demonstration sessions.
There will be three sessions offered, with start times of 10 AM, 12 PM, and 1:30 PM. All sessions will take place at the Mary Jayne Breeden Council Service Center, 1032 Heatherwood Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23455.
Wood Badge Reunion Dinner
November 13
Reunite with your patrol, enjoy the fellowship of other critters, and share stories with past participants and staff!
- $30 per person or $50 per couple
- Cash bar
- Silent auction to raise funds for the Wood Badge/NYLT Scholarship Fund
- Catering by Beach Bully BBQ
- Doors open at 6:30 PM
Join us at Gilwell!
Zomboree
December 3-5
Have you gained the Scout Skills to Survive a zombie outbreak? Take on the Scouting Zombie Escape Room, fortify your campsites, and do whatever it takes to make it through the weekend! Visit Black Pug today and sign up for the 2021 Zomboree on December 3–5 at Pipsico Scout Reservation. Show off your skills at shooting sports, the Adventure Course, and the Climbing Tower. Join in on the Zombie Run and Eat Zombie Brains. Will you survive the fun?
Order of the Arrow Holiday Banquet
December 11
Fellow Arrowmen and families, please join us to enjoy an evening of honors, fellowship, and fun. Don’t miss out on the final Blue Heron Lodge event of 2021! Registration is open on Black Pug.
Winter Camp
January 14-17, 2022
Merit Badge Counselors needed! Winter Camp is held at Pipsico Scout Reservation. Great merit badge counselors are what make this event the best. Volunteer today and make a positive difference in the life of a Scout on their way to Eagle. Email both Wes Parker and Christy Cooper to volunteer. In your email, include:
- What merit badge you wish to counsel
- How many 3-hour sessions needed
- The number of Scouts per session
- Materials and costs
- Pre-requisites
- Any position you may be interested in assisting
Registration is currently by waitlist only for youth on Black Pug. Merit badge selections will be available online starting November 20 at 10 AM.
National Order of the Arrow Conference (NOAC)
July 25-30, 2022
From July 25-30, 2022, Arrowmen from around the country will have the opportunity to gather at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN to attend the 2022 National Order of the Arrow Conference (NOAC). Several thousand Arrowmen from around the USA are expected to attend the conference seeking the best that the Order of the Arrow (OA) has to offer. Each time a national conference is held, Arrowmen come together from around the world to share ideas, learn from one another, and most importantly, experience an outstanding event unlike any other in Scouting. NOAC is open to all active members of the OA.
In order to reserve your spot on the contingent, you must either pay in full the early bird rate of $575 or make a deposit of $100 towards the regular fee to Tidewater Council by December 1, 2021. The regular rate is $625 and the remainder after the $100 deposit is due no later than May 15, 2022. There will be an additional transportation fee that will be determined after contingent fundraising has been conducted. Registration is open on Black Pug.
Direct questions can be addressed to Charlie Tate at 757-214-7534 or cetate981@gmail.com. Please visit oa-bsa.org/program/events/noac for more information.
National Scout Jamboree
July 19-28, 2023
Save the date for the 2023 National Scout Jamboree at The Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia. Tidewater Council plans to send at least one boy troop (36 youth and four adults) and one-half girl troop (18 youth and two adults). Registration is expected to begin by November 11.
News
Development Corner
“You are a mirror of yourself in others. Whatever you want, give. Be the best reflection of yourself.”
Volunteering
Our youth look to us for guidance in developing into well-rounded citizens who contribute to society in many ways. What better way to accomplish this task than to introduce a child to Scouting? Set the example: volunteer in Scouting and build awareness of Scouting in the community, while having youth participate with you.
Contact Susan Miley-Petrehn at 757-284-0796 or Susan.Miley-Petrehn@scouting.org for information on volunteering with special events and fundraising.
Support Scouting
There are many ways to support local Scouting and build our community’s next generation of leaders:
- Federal employees, you can designate your Combined Federal Campaign contribution to local Scouting with CFC Code: 94511.
- If you give to United Way, you can designate your gift to Tidewater Council. Tidewater Council is a partner agency with United Way of South Hampton Roads and Albemarle Area United Way.
- If you shop on Amazon, use AmazonSmile and designate Tidewater Council as your charity. Amazon will donate to Tidewater Council at no cost to you.
- Donate online or learn more about James E. West Fellowships and tribute gifts at tidewaterbsa.com/support.
Scout Shop
Cub Scout Jackets and Hoodies
With cooler weather approaching, Cub Scout-themed jackets and hoodies ($24.99) are available in youth sizes only. The fleece hoodies and jackets, a cotton/polyester blend, are a comfortable way to layer, and the Cub Scout emblem makes it a fun way to display your love of Scouting!
Pinewood Derby
Start planning now for the Pinewood Derby. Many packs like to give out Pinewood Derby kits during the holidays. We have gift edition kits in stock for $4.99 each, which come in decorative holiday packaging. If you purchase 10 or more, there is a discount of $0.25 per car, which can add up when you buy for a pack. We only receive one order of the gift edition kits each year, so zoom in to the Scout Shop to get yours before they are gone!
After the gift edition is sold out, we will continue to carry the regular edition throughout the Pinewood Derby season.
Thorlos Sock Sale
The Thorlos sock sale begins again from November 23 through the rest of the year. Buy two pairs and get 25% off each pair. These socks are so warm and cozy, you don’t have to wait until a hike to enjoy them. They make great holiday gifts too!
Eagle Gifts
Got Eagles? Our full inventory of Eagle gifts and awards are on our main front display. Besides the Eagle award kits (which most troops buy to present to their Eagles), we have neckerchiefs and slides, bolo ties, dog tags, money clips, key rings, challenge coins, water bottles, mugs, caps, and buckles. That’s not to mention all the party goods. If it’s not in stock, we can get it if BSA Supply carries it.
Shipping
We continue to ship orders for customers by USPS. Just call 757-497-2688 or email your order to polly.fugate@scouting.org. We can figure shipping costs and call you for a VISA or Mastercard number.
Holiday Hours
During November, we will be closed:
- Thursday, November 11 for Veterans Day
- Thursday, November 18 from 2-4 PM for a staff gathering
- Thursday, November 25 through Saturday, November 27 for Thanksgiving. We will reopen on Tuesday, November 30.
Have a safe and fun Thanksgiving weekend!
Philmont Trek 2022
June 19 - July 4, 2022
Looking for the adventure of a lifetime? Join the Tidewater Council contingent headed to Philmont Scout Reservation next summer. There are five youth spaces available, open to either female or male Scouts. Contact Bill Lawrence at bill.lawrence2@scouting.org to learn more.
Popcorn
Upcoming Key Dates
- Wednesday, November 17
- Estimated distribution date for final popcorn order.
- Friday, December 3
- Estimated end date for online sales.
- Monday, December 6
- Deadline to submit popcorn prize requests. (No exceptions.)
Donations
Please report any donations received by using the Military Donation Form and emailing it to alison.harrison@scouting.org. Military donations typically are fulfilled locally through the USO to provide popcorn to service men and women, veterans, and their families.
Online Sales
Online sales are a great opportunity for families and Scout units with concerns about COVID-19 safety. The customer orders and pays online and the product is shipped directly to them, making the sale completely contactless.
Online sales are also a plus for Scouts who want to sell to out-of-town friends and relatives, and for those who want a certain product available online-only, such as White Ruby or peanut clusters.
All Tidewater Council Scouts are eligible to participate in online popcorn sales, regardless of the unit’s participation in traditional in-person sales. Contact us if you are interested in selling online but have not received your Scout’s sales link.
Citizenship in Society Merit Badge
The new Citizenship in Society merit badge was released on November 1. Beginning July 1, 2022, the Citizenship in Society merit badge will be required for any youth seeking to achieve the Eagle Scout rank.
Day Camp 2022
In a cloud of dust comes the thundering sound of horse hooves. Suddenly you see the Lone Cub Scout. Join us as we travel the trails to the thrilling days of yesteryear for Cub Scout Western Day Camp 2022. The Council Day Camp Committee meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 6:30 PM in the food court of Greenbrier Mall. We are seeking deputy sheriffs to plan and run a fun-filled week of activities. Contact Rich Becker at richard.becker@scouting.org for more information.
Scouts BSA Youth Council
In Scouts BSA, youth are the experts of their experience – and it’s critical to engage youth in decisions that affect their experience.
Nominations are now open for the inaugural Scouts BSA National Youth Council. This group of 10-15 youth will provide feedback and help shape the future of the the Scouts BSA program. The deadline for nominations is November 5, 2021.
The Scouts BSA Youth Council Slide Deck includes additional information about the role, time commitment, eligibility criteria, and the nomination and selection processes. Any Scouts BSA volunteer or professional is welcome to nominate eligible youth for this opportunity.
Pow Wow
Due to extenuating circumstances, Tidewater Council will not have a 2021 Pow Wow.
Interested in enhancing your Cub Scout camping skills? Check out this series of outdoor cooking videos from Pow Wow 2020.
Powder Horn
Powder Horn is a resource course designed to introduce Scouting’s adults and youth to the exciting outdoor and high-adventure program possibilities for their unit. The ultimate goal is for the participants to leave the course with a list of ideas to help their program, along with the contacts and resources needed to implement them.
Save the dates for Powder Horn 2022: September 9-11, 2022 and September 16-18, 2022. If you are interested in participating, please submit this interest form.
World Scout Jamboree
Were you born between July 22, 2005 and July 31, 2009? Do you want a once in a lifetime International Scouting Experience? Then the 25th World Scout Jamboree in South Korea is the event for you!
Fill out this form to receive more information about the World Scout Jamboree from the BSA.
Messengers of Peace
Did you know?
The Messengers of Peace Program is a global initiative designed to inspire young men and women to work toward peace. Scouts around the world have completed over 2 billion service hours since the inception of Messengers of Peace in 2011.
You can report projects and service hours to the World Organization of the Scouting Movement here.
Need help thinking of a project? Check out the Messengers of Peace Guide.
Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award
The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is an independent study-style program emphasizing self-improvement and persistence. Tidewater Council is the only organization in Virginia and North Carolina authorized to deliver The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award. The Award is not a Scouting award. Rather, like World Scouting, the Award is one of the “Big 6” youth organizations. It is an independent program founded in the United Kingdom and now offered in over 130 countries with over 1.1 million active participants.
There are a limited number of group meetings or scheduled events. Your regular troop activities may qualify for those meetings/events. For example, a 12-week fitness program required to satisfy the Personal Fitness Merit Badge can also satisfy the Physical Recreation requirement for the Bronze level of the Award.
The Award is available to all 14-24 year-old girls and boys, Scouts and non-Scouts alike. Because this is not a Scouting program, it is as easy for non-Scouts to participate as it is for Scouts.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award covers four separate elements that enable each participant to grow in various ways. Those elements often can be found within the many existing school, Scouting, or other after-school activities. There are three levels (Bronze, Silver, and Gold), all of which include the following elements that vary in the number of months of commitment depending on the level:
- Physical Recreation – One hour per week of physical activity, whether it be on a school or travel team, in the swimming pool, or in the hundred other places in which participants can push themselves physically. The participant chooses the activity and, with the help of the program coordinators (Award Leaders), helps identify an “assessor” to ensure the participant selects realistic objectives that can be achieved in the given amount of time.
- Skill – One hour per week to develop a new skill chosen by the participant, whether this be learning a musical instrument, learning a new language, or improving any other skill or hobby. Again, the participant chooses the skill. Like the physical recreation component, the skill should be something that excites the participant and helps expand his or her knowledge of and experience with the skill.
- Service – One hour per week designed to show the participant the importance of giving back to the community and to help the participant learn more about the organization the participant elects to support.
- Adventurous Journey – A four-or-more person excursion (starting as a two-day, one-night excursion for the Bronze level and longer for the Silver and Gold levels) chosen, planned, and led by the participants with adult oversight and appropriate training.
Participation requires a fee, depending on the level. The program offers financial assistance to eligible Award participants toward their participant registration fees and costs through an application.
For general information about the Award, please visit www.usaward.org. For details about Tidewater Council’s delivery of the Award (whether as a potential participant or as a volunteer to help deliver the program), please contact Joel Nied at joelnied@gmail.com.
Training and Charter Renewal
At charter renewal, adult leaders must have the required training to re-register.
- Youth Protection Training must expire on or after January 1, 2023. This ensures that leaders are considered trained throughout the entire registration period. Youth Protection Training helps to ensure the safety of all Scouts. Comprised of four modules, Youth Protection Training takes about one hour to complete online.
- Hazardous Weather Training is required for all direct contact leaders. This includes all unit leaders, den leaders, and assistants, but does not include committee chairs, committee members, or chartered organization representatives. Hazardous Weather Training needs to be renewed every two years and must be valid at the time of the charter renewal.
- Position Specific Training is the training for a leader’s particular role. The Boy Scouts of America requests that all leaders complete position training with 90 days of registering. Charter renewals are checked to ensure that all leaders are position-trained. The training varies for each role, but most training can be completed online with a series of modules lasting 2-3 hours.
Online training is available through My.Scouting.org.
Help Desk
If any leader has completed training, but it does not reflect properly on their records, please open a help desk ticket by emailing helpdesk@tidewaterbsa.com. In your email, please include:
- Name
- Member ID
- Contact Phone Number
- Contact Email Address
- What is the issue? (Password reset, a module is freezing, forgot username, etc.)
- If it is a training issue:
- Username
- Date Training Taken
- Browser Used
Due to high volume, we are unable to respond to phone inquiries; please send all help desk issues via email.
Community Service
Youth civic engagement means working to make a difference in the civic life of one’s community. It also involves developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values, and motivation to make that difference. These activities enrich the lives of youth and are socially beneficial to the community. What projects does your unit plan this fall?
Recording Activities in Internet Advancement and Scoutbook
Tidewater Council and its districts track Scout service hours. We share information about service projects with the community and potential donors so they can see the impact of Scouting. Reporting the service hours Scouts are already doing is an easy way to support Scouting!
Visit this Scoutbook How-To link for instructions on reporting service hours.
Service Opportunities
Service is Scouting’s greatest legacy and the primary reason that the Boy Scouts of America is the world’s premier youth organization. We currently have several opportunities for youth to give back to our communities through service. Here are some current projects needing assistance:
- As part of Albemarle Area United Way‘s Day of Caring, there is an opportunity to send Cards of Encouragement to homebound seniors and Letters of Love to long-term care facility residents through the Albemarle Commission. Learn more here.
- Marshview Park is a little known gem in an undeveloped wetland area between Seatack and Shadowlawn. Many years ago when it was privately owned, some parts of the park were used to dump construction debris in the wetlands. Virginia Beach recently improved the trails and park facilities at this location and several groups of volunteers have started to remove some of the debris, but we need a hard working crew to get serious about finishing the job. The city will bring a dumpster as close to the site as possible, but we will need wheel barrows and strong backs to pull the debris out of the wetlands and transport it to the dumpster. We are looking for at least ten people, including leaders, for about three or four hours. There is also the potential for a unit to adopt this area as a long-term service project, as there is additional work that needs to be done, including invasive plant removal, trail maintenance, and park improvements. Contact Vince Bowhers at vince@lrnow.org or 757-773-1636.
- Rain garden project to benefit the SPCA. Contact Clay Bernick at clay@lrnow.org or 757-377-3120.
- Various projects for the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. Contact Clay Bernick at clay@lrnow.org or 757-377-3120.
- Build two five- to six-foot wooden benches with plant boxes and complete a butterfly garden for the ViBe District Mediterranean Avenue Parklet. Contact Vince Bowhers at vince@lrnow.org or 757-773-1636.
- A few projects on the horizon for those Scouts wanting to be a part of planning, execution, and maintenance are slated for the future. A landscape project in the ViBe District, a living shoreline project in Great Neck, and a couple fall tree plantings. Contact Vince Bowhers at vince@lrnow.org or 757-773-1636.
BSA Safety Moment
It is recommended to include a BSA Safety Moment during meetings to inform Scouts and parents and keep everyone safe. Numerous downloadable BSA Safety Moments are available here.
Prohibited Activities
Sometimes you just say “no” to an activity when you “know” the program of the Boy Scouts of America. So, did you “know” there are activities and programs that should NOT be part of any Scouting experience? Or that there are limits for when some activities should be introduced? Review the “Prohibited Activities” Safety Moment to learn which activities are unauthorized and why.
Share with "Scout Life"
Scout Life magazine is seeking submissions about Scouts’ hobbies and collections. If Scout Life writes about your Scout’s submission, they will receive a special contributor patch.
- Collections: Does your Scout collect baseball cards? Seashells? Hiking stick medallions? Something even more unique? Write about your collection here. Your story might even inspire another Scout who is working on the Collections or Stamp Collecting merit badges!
- Hobbies: Share your tips and tricks for better enjoying your hobbies here. Whatever your hobby, your tips may encourage another Scout to try it out!
COVID-19 Assistance
Does your family need assistance due to COVID-19? Tidewater Council is a partner agency with United Way of South Hampton Roads and Albemarle Area United Way, as well as a member of the Unite Us Hampton Roads United Coordinated Network and NCCARE360. For coordinated care referrals, please contact us.
Scouts in Action
Order of the Arrow Blue Heron Lodge held its Fall Fellowship event at Pipsico Scout Reservation on October 15-17. Congratulations to the Blue Heron Lodge 2021 Vigil Class!
Congratulations to new Eagle Scout Zachary A. of Troop 499!
More than 250 Cub Scouts and families escaped the indoors at the Albemarle Cuboree on October 22-24. Participants enjoyed archery and shooting sports, building kites, making den flags, fishing, cooking, participating in field games, learning about horses, and meeting the local fire and EMS services. The families ended the day with songs and skits at the camp-wide campfire program.
More than 150 Scouts and Scouters enjoyed a weekend of camping at the Albemarle Spook-O-Ree on October 29-31. Scouts decorated pumpkins, used their skills to complete a scavenger hunt, played trivia, and mummified their Scoutmasters. Saturday evening ended with an OA ceremony to welcome four new Scouts into the Blue Heron Lodge.
In the wake of a long camporee hiatus, Princess Anne District established the
“Rise of the Phoenix District Games” at the fall district camporee on October 29-31. The Scouts enjoyed a weeekend of Scouts skills competitions and camping.
Pack 407 held a costume party recruiting event and popcorn celebration. The top popcorn sellers enjoyed the opportunity to pie a leader of their choice in the face.
Scouts and families of Pack 585 had a great time at their Pack Halloween Party!
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